URI, Hurley Update

We still have no official word on Danny Hurley coming to the University of Rhode Island to become the new men’s basketball coach, but that word could be coming very soon within the next 24-48 hours.

As we reported Friday here on GoLocalProv.com, Hurley is going to be the new men’s basketball coach at URI and we stand by that story.

Sources close to both Hurley and the school confirmed that the two sides discussed the parameters of the deal and that an agreement had been reached for Hurley to leave Wagner to come to URI. As part of the deal, sources said that Hurley’s total compensation could be worth as much as $735,000 annually with a base salary somewhat lower than that figure.

URI athletic director Thorr Bjorn issued a statement Saturday according to the Providence Journal saying, “there is an erroneous and inaccurate report out there right now, and while we would rather not comment on random speculation, I feel it is important to point out that no decisions have been made regarding our men's basketball search. “ If it was a "press release" released by Bjorn and the school as the Journal claims, it was not well disseminated. There was no sign of the statement on the school's official website http://www.gorhody.com and nor was any mention of it made on Bjorn's twitter account @thorrbjiorn. And, as of the time this story was published, calls to the university and Bjorn had yet to be returned.

If Bjorn was referring to our story on Friday, we assume that he was doing so only because the school has yet to “officially” announce Hurley’s hiring. However, as was reported in the story Friday, despite the lack of an official announcement, sources said that the two sides had both discussed and essentially agreed on the details of a new deal.

In addition, Hurley and his wife Andrea were reportedly on the URI campus in Kingston Friday. When schools go through the process of interviewing coaching candidates, they normally do not include the coach’s wife as part of the process. Generally, the wife and coach tour the campus only after an offer has been made and, in many cases, accepted which is what we believed to be the case here on Friday and still believe to be true.

Is Hurley getting cold feet about accepting the job or is he being advised to reconsider accepting it? Those are some rumors floating around out there which cannot be confirmed. Although, if there were any truth to either of those, you would have to wonder why that would be the case? Is it possible that better offers from higher profile schools could be coming? Or, does Hurley and the people around him have questions about whether or not they can win at URI? Who knows?

Another question many Ram fans have is whether or not Danny Hurley’s brother Bobby would come to URI to be on his staff. GoLocalProv.com is hearing that the former Duke star would likely remain on Staten Island to succeed his brother as head coach of the Seahawks.

But GoLocalProv.com stands by its story that Danny Hurley is, indeed, URI’s choice and that an official announcement could be coming very soon confirming that.